Ida Gard held her record release party last night in Privatclub. After getting the chance to ask her some questions beforehand (on indieberlin tomorrow if all goes according to plan), I was looking forward to checking her out live. I’d heard the music and watched her few youtube videos but live is of course always another thing entirely.
Ida came on stage at quarter past eight together with her drummer Anne Kirstine Winkler, and didn’t have much time to say anything before the nice man from Revolver Promotions jumped on stage too to give her a bouquet of flowers to celebrate the release of her brand new album Womb.
Ida was sporting her trademark haircut, her hair drawn up into a bun front and back, a bit like Princess Leia sideways, and a slick black dress and heels. Ida tours with only drummer Anne Kirstine, who also accompanies her on heavily effectified Kalimba and backing vocals.
Ida Gard went on to win over everyone in the place
Well, what can I say. After taking two or three songs to settle into things, she went on to win over everyone in the place with her mixture of charm, humour, humility, good looks, amazing voice and strong songs. It’s going to be difficult for me to be critical from here on in because I have to admit that by the end of the night I’d become a diehard fan, but I’ll do my best.
Cleverly written slices of acoustic pop
In the interview Ida had already told me how with the previous album she’d tried to write songs that would win her an international audience, written to have an effect, whereas this album was the first that she felt fully comfortable with, that really came from her heart. That showed in the concert – the songs from the earlier album are very cleverly written slices of acoustic pop, and she sings them wonderfully – that floaty, breezily upbeat charm – and you can see why they won her awards and resonated so well with audiences everywhere.
And she still sings her earlier songs with heart, even if she has decided these days to go a little darker and a little weirder she’s not turning her back on what got her this far. And in fact they leant a very good balance to the songs from the new album, which while still catchy, with an eye on hook and chorus, go to a slightly stranger and more idiosyncratic place.
Ida Gard is too good to be only an underground hit for much longer
I was honestly surprised that when I was researching Ida before going to interview her I found very little online about her – despite winning awards and despite obviously having built up something of an audience, she hasn’t, I suppose, hit it big. I was surprised because she ticks every box that you can think of, and I have no doubt at all that we’re seeing Ida Gard in the ascendancy right now. She’s too good to be only an underground hit for much longer.
